The dream welterweight match-up pitting former UFC World Welterweight champion Robbie Lawler (27-11-1) and Donald Cerrone (31-7-1) has been scrapped.
The bout, which was supposed to take place on UFC’s Madison Square Garden debut on Sunday, November 12 (Philippine time), was supposed to be the Filipino-American’s return to the Octagon after dropping the belt to Tyron Woodley. However, Lawler asked to be removed from the card, citing the lack of preparation time according to a report by TMZ Sports.
In a separate report by Fox Sports, Donald Cerrone shared how apologetic “Ruthless” was after making the call informing him that he was backing out of the bout.
“Robbie came to me face-to-face,” Cowboy shared. “At first he called me said ‘I want to tell you something’ and he said ‘where are you?’, I said I’m at the Metropolitan 9, he said ‘I’ll be right there’.”
“He came over and told me face-to-face that ‘I wanted to let you know man-to-man that this fight’s not happening.'”
Cerrone then shared that a part of him was disappointed that the “dream bout” will not push through.
“If I was to step aside, a little piece of fan died in me like that’s a fight that I would love to watch,” the 33 year old American shared.
“It sucked but he said he’s got some (expletive) going on and wanted to let his head heal up a little bit more from the knockout he just had. I can’t make him fight.”
The American welterweight though still wants to fight in the card and is hoping that the UFC can find a replacement for Lawler.
